Improvement in bed-bottoms



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IMPROVEMENT IN BED-BOTTOMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 189,943, dated April24, 1877; application tiled February 10, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN J. LUCAS, a residentof Belleville, Illinois, have made new and useful Improvements inBedBottoms, of

N which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the annexed drawing, making part of this specification, inwhich- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the invention, shown bottomupward, and Fig. 2, a perspective, showing one of the arms used insupporting the mattress.

The same letters denote the same parts.

Mattresses, like the woven wire, that are supported at the ends only,are apt in use to become stretched to such an extent as to requiretightening.

The present invention relates to an efficient means for reinstating thetension in these mattresses. It further has reference to the means usedin imparting elasticity in a longitudinal direction to the mattress.

Referring to the annexed drawing, A represents the mattress proper. Itmay be made of any suitable materialwoven wire, cane, metallic strips,cord, or anyasubstance that can be stretched over the end rails a a,which are of the customary shape. B represents the frame that serves asthe base of the structure. G O O 0 represent braces or arms, thatsupport the mattress and connect it with the frame beneath, and moreparticularly in the following manner: Two of the arms are arrangedtoward one end of the bottom and two toward the other end. At theirlower ends 0 c c 0 they are pivoted to the frame B; thence, extendingupward and outward, (one set of arms inclining one way and the other setthe other way,) the end rails rest upon their outer ends 0 c c 'c. Thearms are similarly provided with shoulders c c c c that extend upwardfrom the upper side of the braces at a point inside the bearings c c c 0and serve to press either directly or indirectly, as hereinafterexplained, against, the inner edges of the end rails a a. Now, when themattress needs tightening, it is drawn directly down- Ward toward theframe B by a force applied to the end rails a a. The effect of thismovement is to depress the outer ends of the arms 0 O G O; and, as thelatter are moving on a circle whose center is the point, where the armis pivoted to the frame to bring the shoulders c c c 0 against the endrails a a, and in so doing to elongate the mattress and give it thedesired tension. Unless, however, the end rails are held down, they willdraw up again. To secure them in the proper position, and to provide anefficient means for adjusting them, I preferably employ the bolts D D D1). They are passed from the frame B at points, respectively, withoutthe points of the attachment of the arms 0 G O O thereto up ward throughthe end rails a a. They are suitably formed and attached to the railsand frame, so that by turning the nuts d d d d the mattress can be drawndown and held as desired. Instead of allowing the shoulders c" c c c" tobear directly against the end rails,

I, preferably, interpose springs E E E E between the shoulders andrails. They are, preferably, of rubber, and they serve to relieve therigidity of the structure, especially when the mattress is formed ofmetallic strips.

ln carrying out the invention, I do not de sire to be confined to theparticular form of arm shown, or to the manner of connecting it with theframe or mattress, as other forms of pivoted supports will answerprovided the mattress can be strained over them by a force applied onthe outer side thereof. The bearings 0 c c c are, preferably, slotted toreceive bolts 0/ a a a that serve to connect these parts moreefficiently.

What I claim is 1. The combination of the mattress A, frame B, arms 0 UG (l, and bolts D D D D, substantially as described.

2. The arms (3 G (l 0, having the shoulders c c c c". in combinationwith the end rails a a, and springs E E E E, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the end rails a c and the pivoted supports 0 O G0, having the bearingsc c c c, the former being movable upon the latter,substantially as described.

' J. J. LUCAS.

Witnesses:

LoUIs P. KRAFFT, Tnnon. I. KRAFFT.

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